Current News

Weekly unemployment claims fell again last week, offsetting somewhat a recent surge in claims, as activity has been volatile lately. For the week of December 11, 2010, there were 1,156 new regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance, a decrease of 215 from the week before. Altogether 10,467 new and continuing claims were filed, a decrease of 878 from a week ago and 2,191 fewer than a year earlier. The Department also processed 2,141 First Tier claims for benefits under Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008 (EUC08), 392 fewer than a week ago. In addition, there were 724 Second Tier claims for benefits processed under the EUC08 program, which is an increase of 42 from the week before. The Unemployment Weekly Report can be found at: http://www.vtlmi.info/. Previously released Unemployment Weekly Reports and other UI reports can be found at:http://www.vtlmi.info/lmipub.htm#uc

Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell, 38 other Attorneys General, and the Federal Trade Commission filed settlements today with The Dannon Company, Inc, regarding Dannon’s advertising of Activia and DanActive yogurt products. Under the multistate settlement, Dannon will change its marketing practices and pay $21 million to the Attorneys General to settle allegations that Dannon made unsubstantiated and unlawful marketing claims. The $21 million payment is the largest payment to date in a multistate settlement with a food producer. Vermont’s share of the settlement is $425,000.
‘Dannon led consumers to believe that its Activia and DanActive products offered health benefits, but it lacked scientific evidence to support its claims,’ said Attorney General Sorrell. ‘Companies can’t use scientific-sounding names and say certain products are good for us without having supportive scientific studies.’

Six of the nation’s leading health care systems today announced a first-of-its-kind collaboration to improve health care quality while reducing costs.
Dartmouth-Hitchcock, Cleveland Clinic, Denver Health, Geisinger Health System, Intermountain Healthcare, and Mayo Clinic will join The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice to share data on outcomes, quality, and costs across a range of common and costly conditions and treatments. The group will determine best practices for delivering care for these conditions and will rapidly disseminate actionable recommendations to providers and health systems across the United States. In addition to achieving better quality and outcomes, the Collaborative intends to improve the efficiency of standard clinical care delivery to reduce the per capita cost in these conditions and to keep costs in pace with the consumer price index.

The University of Vermont and Fletcher Allen Health Care have announced that Claire F Verschraegen, MS, MD, FACP, has been appointed Professor and Chief of Hematology-Oncology and Interim Director of the Vermont Cancer Center, with oversight for cancer care and research at Vermont's academic medical center.
A board-certified oncologist, Verschraegen specializes in rare cancers, such as mesothelioma, metastatic melanomas, sarcomas, and gynecologic malignancies, as well as the study of new anticancer drugs and treatments for solid tumors.
"Dr. Verschraegen will bring a new dimension to our cancer program," said Melinda Estes, M.D., president and CEO, Fletcher Allen Health Care. "Her leadership in the field of oncology will serve us, and our patients, well in the years ahead. I look forward to working with her."

A new report from the Vermont Community Foundation provides the first comprehensive look at Vermont’s nonprofit sector in almost a decade. Vermont’s Nonprofit Sector: A Vital Community in a Time of Change reveals that Vermonters have a great deal of trust in nonprofit organizations to deliver quality services on their behalf. Overwhelmingly, Vermonters’ have a firm understanding of what nonprofits are and positive impressions of their work. However, the report suggests the public needs better information to help them evaluate whether the nonprofit sector is providing its services efficiently.

A team of Burlington High School students earned more than $19,000 in ten weeks playing the Stock Market Game run by the Vermont Council on Economic Education (VCEE).
Today, two Burlington students ‘ Felix Keydel and Mien Chau ‘ were announced as the official winners in the high school division of the Game and were recognized at an awards ceremony at the school at 1:30 pm.
More than 400 Vermont high school students from 14 high schools and 230 elementary and middle school students from 15 schools participated in the fall 2010 Stock Market Game competition. Between October 4 and December 10, the winning students from Burlington High School turned an initial investment of $100,000 into $119,739. The 19 percent return on investment was more than double the Standard and Poor’s 500 average stock market gain.

The trustees of Central Vermont Medical Center and Fletcher Allen Health Care have voted to proceed with an affiliation agreement -- subject to due diligence and regulatory approvals -- as a way to provide better care to patients, improve health and reduce costs for Vermonters.
The Fletcher Allen board of trustees unanimously voted today, joining the CVMC board, which unanimously voted in favor of affiliation on December 7.
‘This is a significant step in developing a coordinated health care system in Vermont that will improve care and reduce costs for Vermonters,’ said Judy Tarr, president and chief executive officer of CVMC. ‘This affiliation builds on existing clinical partnerships and also closely aligns with the state and federal health care reform agendas that promote enhanced integration.’

The University of Vermont Board of Trustees today approved President Daniel Mark Fogel’s appointment of Jane E Knodell as provost and senior vice president.
"I couldn't be happier that Dr. Knodell has accepted the position of Provost and Senior Vice President," noted UVM President Daniel Mark Fogel. "During her time in the interim role, she has shown the leadership skills, creativity, and high level of energy necessary to succeed in this challenging job, while proving to be an exceptional colleague and team member. I am grateful to have Jane as a partner in addressing the many challenges ahead, and the University is fortunate to have such a talented individual leading our academic enterprise."
Knodell, who had been serving in that capacity since July of 2009 on an interim basis, emerged as one of two finalists last month from an internal search process that took place during the fall semester.

The Board of Directors of Brattleboro Memorial Hospital has announced the appointment of Steven R Gordon of Newton, Massachusetts, as the new President and Chief Executive Officer. The appointment will be effective in early March of next year, according to Kirsten Beske, Chair of the BMH Board of Directors. Gordon will be replacing Barry Beeman who announced his intentions to retire from the position at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital earlier this year. Gordon brings more than 25 years of experience in health care and hospital management to BMH.

US Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) Tuesday announced that a budget package soon to be introduced in the Senate includes a year-long extension of the pilot programs in Vermont and Maine that are moving heavy trucks off state secondary roads and onto the Interstate highway system.
The provisions are sponsored by Leahy and Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who also authored the pilot programs currently in effect in Vermont and Maine, which expire this month. Leahy is the second most senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and both Leahy and Collins also serve on the panel’s transportation subcommittee.

Governor-elect Shumlin announced today that Elizabeth Miller will be the next Commissioner of the Department of Public Service. The DPS represents the public interest in matters regarding energy, telecommunications, water and wastewater.
Shumlin made the Miller announcement in Montpelier this morning and then traveled to Rutland in the afternoon to announce that Megan Smith would become the state's next Tourism & Marketing Commissioner.
Of Miller, Shumlin said, ‘There will be no better advocate for the public’s interests than Liz. She will work tirelessly for the citizens and ratepayers of Vermont. I have laid out several ambitious goals for my administration, such as delivering broadband to every last mile by 2013 and developing a successful renewable energy economy. Liz is an incredibly bright, talented and energetic individual who will be instrumental in helping to achieve these goals. ‘

They’re known for building things and powering things, and as co-chairs of the fifth annual Go Red for Women Luncheon, Melinda Moulton, CEO of Main Street Landing, and Mary Powell, CEO of Green Mountain Power, will build on the spirit of camaraderie of nearly 400 women to power up the fight against heart disease in the state of Vermont.
The fifth annual Go Red for Women Luncheon is set for Wednesday, Feb. 16, at the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center. There will be educational sessions, health screenings, a silent auction, moving stories from heart disease survivors, a keynote speaker, and a heart-healthy lunch.
Powell said the Go Red for Women Luncheon is an event she’s long wanted to be a part of, and her schedule permitted it this year.